Improvement in machines for making sheet-metal eaves-troughs



UNITED? STATES PATENT @Trina SILAS A. SCOFIELD AND ERASTUSCHURCHILL, OFMORENCI, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MAKING SHEET-METAL EAVES-TROUGHS.

Specification forming part of Lelters Patent No. 410,951,datedDecember-15, 1863.

To all whom, it 'nm/,1j concern:

Be it known that we, SILAS A. SOOFIELD and ERasTUs CHURCHILL, both ofMorenci, county of Lenawee, and State of Michigan, have invented a newand Improved Machine for Making Eaves-Troughs; and we do hereby declarethat the following` is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which Figure l is a top view of the improved machine.Fig. 2 is an end view.v Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in thevertical plane indicated by red line w rr, Fig. l, showing the machinein operation. Fig. l shows an eaves trough.-

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in the severalfigures.

This invention relates to a new and improved machine for bending sheetmetal and forming semicylindrical troughs for the eaves of houses andother purposes.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the making of such troughs,and also to prevent the sheets of metal from separating at the solderedseams during the operation of bending, as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The bed-plate A of the machine is formed with a longitudinal depressionor rabbet on one side, extending the full length of this bedplate, andback from its edge a short distance, to receive the cylindrical formerB, which is bolted rigidly in its place, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Thespace a, which is left between the cylindrical former B and theoverhanging edge c of the bed-plate A, is made of such form as toreceive the bead which is formed on one edge of the strip of metalprevious to the operation of forming the trough, and to hold this stripwhile it is being bent over the former B, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

Instead of making the two parts A and B separately and then bolting themtogether, they may be east together, so as to form one solid piece,leaving t-he bead-holding space c, as above described.

C represents a portion of the bending device, which has its straightedge nearest the former B rabbeted to receive the corresponding edge ofa wedgepieee, D, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The ends of thcportionOproject out beyond the ends of the bed-plate A, upon which it restswhen the machine is not in operation, and these ends are connected tothe axis of the cylindrical former B by means of bent arms b b, whichare bent downward in order to allow the metal of which the trough isformed to be introduced into the machine and the troughs to be removedwhen finished. One of the arms Z) is longer than the other, whichnecessarily makes the position of the portion C oblique tothe surface ofthe former B, as shown clearly in. Fig. l. The wedgepiece D is attachedto the portion C between this portion and the former B by means'of pinsor screws c c', which pass through oblong slots d d in the wedge D andenter the portion C, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The edge of thewedge Dnearest the former B is parallel to this former, and this parallelism ispreserved whether the wedge be set up closely against the former B orseparated from it a short distance. This wedge D receives an end- Wisemovement from a lever, G, which is suitably attached to the wedge at oneend, and which has its fulcrum at i. The operator by vibrating thislever can bring the beveled edge ol" the wedge up close to the former Bor set it back a short distance from this former.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Several pieces of sheetmetal of a suitable width to form a trough are soldered together, makinga long strip,which is then subj ccted to a machine that forms abead, c,Fig. 4,0n one edge of the flat strip. This strip is now introducedendwise in the machine abovel described, the bead c being inserted inthe space a, and the strip projecting perpendicularly to the surface ot'the bed-platc A. The operator now forces the wedge D up tightly againstthe strip of metal, which operation presses the latter against thesurface of the former B, and being thus held the portions G and D aredrawn over the former B, as shown in Fig. 3, and the strip of metalbeing held by its bead c is bent in the form shown in Fig. 4t. The partsbeing returned to their former position the wedge D is thrown out so asto release the trough and allow it to be drawn from the machine. Fromthis description it will be seen that the only adjustment necessary inoperating our machine is to move the Wedge yD forward at base of thebed, in combination with a recess,

the commencement of the operation and to move it back to release thefinished trough. The straight edge of the wedge pressing the sheets ofmetal uniformly against the surface of the former prevents thev solderedjoints of the sheets from separating during the bending` operation.

One of the advantages which we obtain by securing the former B to orcasting it With the bed-plate A is that this former will not be liableto spring or to be bent out of shape when it has a solid base forsupporting it its entire length. l

XVe are aware that Loomis Mann obtained a patent April 17, 1860, for amachine for bending metal into eavestroughs, and that in said patent acircular former and a vibrating head are shown; but the former is hung,`in a frame to vibrate. XVe therefore do not claim a circular Vibrating,rformer and a vibrating head, as shown in Manns said patent; but

What We do claim as new, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, isd

l. A stationary supporting-bed, A, with a stationary circular formerconstructed on one of its edges, so as to stand entirelT above the a,ofthe former, and located substantially as described.

2. The combination of the stationary bed A, circular former B, and therecess a with the vibrating head C D. substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. The wedge-shaped clamping-piece D between the circular former B andthe shoulder of the head C, when constructed and arranged substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose described.

4. So applying a wedge-shaped'clampingpiece, D, to a head, C, that bymanipulating` a lever the pressure of the Wedge may be maintained, andalso the vibration of the head produced, substantially as described. 5.Thebent arms b b, in combination with a swinging head, clamp D, andrecessed bed and former A B a, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

SILAS A. SCOFIELD. ERASTUS CHURCHILL.

NVitnesses:

C. M. BAKER, H. N. SWEENY.

